Germany June 2019: VW T-Roc hits record #4, Ford Focus up 42.9% in market down -4.7%

It took a while, but the VW T-Roc is now well and truly established at home.

After a splendid 9.1% surge in May, the German new car market falls back to earth at -4.7% year-on-year in June to 325.231 registrations due to three fewer working days than in June 2018. Adjusted for selling days, registrations gain 7%. Company sales are up 1.5% but private sales down -10%. We are now entering a tumultuous period for Germany as the comparison set from a year ago was in total upheaval in the wake of the WLTP new emissions ruling put in place in September, with July 2018 sales up 12.3%, August 2018 up 25% and September 2018 down -30.5%. The dominant VW Group will be particularly affected as it used very extensive stock clearances to push its sales over simmer 2018, and as such the decline has already started with VW Group sales down -6.3% year-on-year in June to 123.149 units and 37.9% share vs. 38.5% a year ago.

Volkswagen (-6.1%) already falls faster than the market but easily remains #1, while BMW (+1.2%), Ford (+2.2%) and Audi (-13.2%) all leapfrog past Mercedes (-15.2%). This is Ford’s first podium ranking in Germany since March 2018. Seat (+9.2%) and Renault (+6.8%) post the largest gains in the Top 10, Skoda (-2.9%) resists somewhat but Opel (-7.3%) and Hyundai (-7%) fall off. Further down, Tesla (+469.1%) thanks to the Model 3, Lexus (+43.3%), Citroen (+19.6%), Kia (+18.1%), Suzuki (+18.1%) and Ssangyong (+10.4%) thanks to new SUVs all make themselves noticed.

The new Focus (+42.9%) pushes Ford to its first podium finish in over a year.

Over in the models ranking, Volkswagen monopolises the Top 4 with the Golf (-4.1%), Tiguan (+3.7%), Passat (-16.4%) holding onto their May ranking while the T-Roc (+35.8%) is up two spots to #4, a new ranking record for the new nameplate beating its previous best of #5 established in August 2018. It’s however the Ford Focus (+42.9%) that posts the largest gain in the Top 10 at #6, with the BMW X1 (+32.7%) also in outstanding shape thanks to its facelift. Reversely, the VW Polo (-39.4%) is in total freefall potentially due to the new T-Cross (see further down), with the Audi A4 (-22.2%) and Skoda Octavia (-20.3%) also struggling.

The Audi A6 (+52.1%), Hyundai i30 (+39.3%), Seat Ateca (+37.8%), BMW 3 Series (+23.4%), Skoda Karoq (+21.8%) and Renault Captur (+20.6%) also shine in the Top 35, just as the VW T-Cross continues its slow progression, up 17 spots on last month to #37 which is a markedly lower ranking than in other large European markets such as Italy (#20) or France (#30). The T-Cross is however by far the most popular new launch above the Seat Tarraco (#69), Tesla Model 3 (#85) and Skoda Scala (#115).